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Challenges and opportunities in the delivery of cancer therapeutics
1Ipsen, 20 Rue Ethé Virton, 28109 Dreux, France. joel.richard@ipsen.com
Abstract:
The idea that cancer is not one but many diseases has completely changed the oncology landscape and promoted the development of personalized cancer therapy. Based on a better understanding of the mechanisms of cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth, novel therapies have emerged to address unmet medical needs and effectively treat pre-identified, responsive patients. These novel therapies require specific drug-delivery strategies that depend on the type and location of cancer, as well as the type of drugs administered, that is, a small molecule, a peptide, a therapeutic protein or a monoclonal antibody. Systemic cancer drugs are administered through three major routes that show different challenges with regard to delivery: these are oral administration, intravenous infusion and subcutaneous injection. This review presents and discusses the challenges and opportunities of the drug-delivery systems for each of these administration routes. It will be shown that, for the good of the patients, every time a drug-delivery system is used to administer anticancer drugs, the patients get a major benefit from that specific system: either improved efficacy, a better tolerability and toxicity profile, or even a combination of both effects.
Insights
Personalized cancer therapy relies on advanced drug delivery systems. These systems optimize anticancer drug administration via oral, intravenous, or subcutaneous routes, improving patient outcomes and treatment efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Cancer is recognized as a complex group of diseases, driving the shift towards personalized cancer therapy.
- Advances in understanding cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth have led to novel therapeutic strategies.
- New treatments necessitate tailored drug-delivery strategies based on cancer type, location, and drug characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with drug-delivery systems for systemic anticancer drug administration.
- To highlight the benefits of optimized drug delivery for various administration routes.
- To explore how drug delivery impacts efficacy and tolerability in cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on anticancer drug delivery systems.
- Analysis of challenges and opportunities for oral, intravenous, and subcutaneous administration routes.
- Discussion of drug delivery strategies for small molecules, peptides, therapeutic proteins, and monoclonal antibodies.
Main Results:
- Different administration routes (oral, intravenous, subcutaneous) present unique challenges for drug delivery.
- Drug-delivery systems are crucial for administering novel cancer therapies effectively.
- Optimized drug delivery can lead to improved efficacy, better tolerability, and reduced toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Drug-delivery systems offer significant benefits to cancer patients by enhancing treatment outcomes.
- Tailored drug delivery strategies are essential for maximizing the potential of personalized cancer therapies.
- The choice of drug delivery system directly impacts the therapeutic effectiveness and patient experience.
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